Brake-setting apparatus for railways.



No. 876,387. PATENTED JAN. 14. 1908. J. J. MONAMEE. BRAKE SETTING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAYS.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1- APPLICATION FILED AUG. 5. 1907.

Wihwooeo PATENTED JAN. 14, 1908.

Nm s76,337.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 5. 1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 No. 876,387. PATENTED JAN. 14, 1908.

J. J. MONAMEB- BRAKE SETTING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION IILED AUG. 6. 1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

' Wwhwooeo 55. 71min "together to economize space.

UNITED STATES JOHN J. MCNAMEE, 0F NORWOOD, OHIO.

BRAKE-SETTING- APPARATUS FOR RAILWAYS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 14, 1908.

Application filed August 6.1907- Serial No. 887.044.

To all whom it Map-concern:

Be itv known that 1, JOHN J. MCNAMEE, a citizen of the United States of America,

and resident of N orwood, county of Hamilton, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brake- Setting Apparatus for Railways, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention isan electrical device for operating the brakes of a railway car which is carried by the car and which may be actuated readily by an employee, not upon the car, to set the brakes, and may then "be readily reset by the engineer or motorman upon the car for throwing oil the brakes and putting the car in condition for proceeding. This object is attained by the means described in the specification and illustrated in the drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a locomotive engine and of a track, and of a front elevation of a signal tower, showing the brake-setting apparatus embodying my invention upon the engine, and the means for actuating the same upon the track, the switch being held open. Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view upon an enlarged scale of an electro-magnet, its armature, the valve for opening the train line and the connections between the valve and the armature. Fig. 3 is a detail elevation of the valve for'opening the train line, partly in section. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the contact device'which is to be located adjacent to the tracks near the signal towers. Fig. 5 shows the switch used in signal towers upon a some what enlarged scale and wires connecting it and the contact piece. Fig. 6 is a view of the switch taken at right angles to Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a plan view of a part of the track showing a contact device, such as is to be located at intervals along the track. Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the switch box shown in Fig. 7, but upon an enlarged scale. Fig. 9 is a plan view of a railway switch and the contact devices to be placed uponopposite sides of the switch, at a distance therefrom, the tracks being shown broken out and brought Figs. 10 and 11 are detail views of the valve for regulating the rateof exhaust from the train pipe when it is opened. 4

- The invention is illustrated as applied to a Westinghouse air-brake, wherein the brakes are set by the engineers opening the train pipe to allow the pressure in the same to be reduced, which reduction in the train pipe pressure actuates the air brakes.

1 have placed a valve in the train line, to which is connected an arm, the rotation of which opens'this valve. The arm is spring pressed so as normally to tend to open the valve, but is locked against movement by means of a lever, which may be moved to release the arm when an electro-magnet is energized. The electro-magnet and its batteries are located upon the railway car, one pole of the battery being in electrical communication with the wheels of the, car, the other .pole of the battery being in electrical communication with the contact piece carried by the-fender or other part of the car, which is insulated from the wheels.- A contact piece is placed beside the rails and has a conductor connecting it with the rails, the said conductor having located in it a switch for opening and closing it, which switch is to be controlled by an'employee, not upon the car. When the contact piece upon the fender rides upon the contact piece adjacent to the rail, the electrical circuit is completed through the magnet, which thereupon is energized and will move its lever to release the arm which opens the valve in the train line and sets the brakes. If the electrical switch in the conductor between the contact piece adjacent to the rail and the rail is open, it is seen that the contact piece adjacent to the rail is not inelectrical communication with the rail, and, therefore, when the contact piece upon the fender rides over the contact piece adjacent to the rail, the electric circuit of the magnet will not be closed and the rotate the valve stem, b, to openthe train.

pipe. When opened, the train pipe will exhaust into a pipe, 0, which leads into the cab and has at its upper end a plug valve, a, the degree of opening of which will con trol the size of the exhaust, as illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11, so-asitoregulate' thlg speed P with which the brakes will e set. is positioned so that when the valve, B,-is

en ineer and opened, the exhaust will blow against the apprise him of-the fact that the valve, B, has con opened. 1

Arm, 1)., is held in position to valve, B, by means of a bell-crank lever,.c, which isivoted at, 'c, upon a box, '0 which is hun y-brackets, 0 from the pipe, A,- which eads to the air reservoir. he box, 0 is hung from the-reservoir pipe, 'A, simply as a matter of convenience, since in'locomotive engines this pipe is usually located in a ,position adjacent to the cab-steps, A so that the engineer after the :valve, B, has been opened, may ,readily set the arm, I), in its normal position to again close the same.

The bell crank lever, c', is connected by a link, d, with the armature, d, of an electro magnet, D, which is mounted within the box, 0 The armature, d, is pivoted at, (1 to the magnet and when the bellecrank lever, c, is imposition so thatfits hook, 0 takes under the'y'arm, b, the armature, (if, is out of contact'with the poles of the magnet, D, and when the'magnet is energized and draws the endfdt, of the armature upward, thebellcrankleven'c,is'rotated about its'pivot and draws the end, 03*, from beneathfthe arm, I), germitting the spring, N, to open the valve,

},The coils of the .magnet, D, are con nected to an electric batter-y, E, which is mlo'cated'upon the. railway car,: or engine.

Upon each side of the-fender, c of the engine iscarried 'a contact piece, e,which is connected by'wire, e, to one pole of the battery, E, the other pole of the battery is connected to the axle, A, of the truck of, the

engine by a wire, 6 Wire, 6, is-illustrated'as passing aroundthe coilsof the electro-magnet before extending to the contact piece upon the fender. l

' I have illustrated three forms of electrical switches for connecting the track with the contact pieces to be placed adjacent to the "track, v1z.,, one form to be used in-signal stations and to be controlled by the operator,

' another form to be .placedadjacent to the track switches and to be affected by the position of'the switch, and a third form to e located at intervals alongside the tracks is desired to stop the train or any reason, such as, for 1nstance, wh'ere another train has become stalled from any reason. The

contact pieces consist of wooden blocks, F,

and bearing the contact strip f, and the contact ieces, f f and the track are the same or the formof electrlc switch used in signal towers,-

close' the the hswitch lever,

and to be operated 'byan em loyee where it.

eir upper facescontact stri s, f,

contact, f. The form of connection between mess? and thataiongside thetrack as illustrated in 4, 5,-"6,-'and 7 and 8.

n-the'fo'rm of switch used in signal towers, the switch lever, f ,"is held normallyin contact with thecontact pieces, j f, by means of a spring, Wire, f leads from contact iece, f to t e contact point, f of the switch 1n the tower and wire, f leads from the rail to thecontact piece, f of the electric switch in the tower.' Inthis form it is seen that normally communication between the contact stri f, and the rail, T, is unbroken andthat' u ess the ojperator'in'the tower holds tact strip, f, the circuit through the magnet,

0 en, when the contactplece, 6, upon the fee er rides over the con- D, will be completed, that is, through the Wire,"e, the contact piece, 6, contact strip, f, wires,-f?,contac t pieces, f f wire,f rail T, axle, axfland wire, a, thereby energizing the ,magnet, raising its armature, d, throwing the bell-crank lever, c, and allowing the arm, 0*, to open-the Valve, Br If, therefore, the operator is'notified to stop the train, he does so by not opening the sw1tch, f Or, if the operativebe inattentive to. duty from any reason, the train will be stopped, because unless positively actuated by the o erator in" the tower, the contact strip wil be in communication with the rail, T, and will therefore complete the circuit when con ,tacted by'the piece, 6;

side thetrack, the switch-lever, 1", stands normally 0 en, so thatunless positively actuated to c ose the communication between In the'form of switch used at pointsalong the contact pieces, f f the contact strip,

f, is-not in communication with'the rail, T, andthe electrical circuit will not be closed when the contact piece, 6, rides over the strip, f. However, when an employee desires to stop atrain betweenstations, he may do so by 0 'ening the lock, j, of the box, f,-in whic the switch-lever, f", is-located and throw the switch so as to complete the communication between the contact piece, f, and the rail, T For instance, if a train should become wrecked or stopped from other causes upon a track, the. brakeman would go back t? the next switch-box, f would open the ,lo'ck, f and throw. the switch-lever, f, into contact with the contact studs, f f, so that-the next train which;

came along would be stopped by having its brakes thrownon automatically.

In the form used for track switches, switch f, stands normally open but wires, f and f lead from contact strips, upon opposite sides of the switchto a contact str1p,f.

such that when theswitch is closed, as illustrated in Fig. 9, the contact pieces, f f,

are out of contact with each other, but when the switch is open, 'or partly opened, the contact piece, f contacts the contact piece, f', thereby completing the communication between the rail, '1, and the contact piece, The contact pieces, f, are to be located upon each side of the switch, g, say about four hundred feet, or more distant therefrom. Should a switch, therefore, be left open, or partly open, when the train came within four hundred feet or so from the switch, since the contact strip,f, is in communication with the rail, T, the brakes would be. thrown on and the train stopped.

What I claim is:

1., In combination with a railway car air brakes located upon the car, a valve carried by the air-brakes and the opening of which actuates the air-brakes, an arm connected to the valve for opening and closing the same, an electro-magnet secured upon the car,,'an armature mounted adjacent to the magnet so as to be moved thereby when the magnet is energized, means for conveying the movement to the armature of the arm to open and close the valve, a source of electrical energy located upon the car, an electrical contact piece carried by the car adjacent to the tracks and insulated-from the wheels of the car, a broken circuit leading from the source of energy in which circuit the electro-magnet is placed, one end of the circuit being connected tosaid contact piece and the other end being in communication with the wheel of the car, a contact device adjacent to the track and. adapted normally to complete electrical communication between the track and the contact piece on the car when the car passes over said contact device and a means whereby an operator may prevent the completion of said communication.

2. In combination with a car having airbrakes, a valve. connected to the air-brake the opening of which actuates the same, an arm connected to the valve for opening and closing it, an electro-magnet secured upon the car, an. armature mounted. adjaceiit to the magnet to bemoved thereby when the magnet is energized, means for conveying the movement of ti: armature to the arm to open the valve, a source of electrical energy located. upon the car, an electrical contact )iece carried by the car adjacent to the tracks and insulated from the wheels, a broken circuit leading from the source of energy, in which circuit the electro-magnct is placed, one end of the circuit being connected to the contact piece and the other end being in communication with a wheel of the car, a second. electrical contact piece placed adjacent to thetrack in the path of the contact piece upon the car, a conductor for connecting the second contact piece with the track and a switch located in said conductor for making and breaking the circuit.

3. In combination with a car having airbrakes, a valve connected to the air-brake the opening of which actuates the same, an arm connected to the valve for opening and closing it, an electl'o-magnet secured upon the car, an armature mounted adjacent to the magnet to be moved thereby when the magnet is energized, means for conveying the movement of the armature to the arm to open the valve, a source of electrical energy located upon the car, an electrical contact piece carried by the car adjacent to the tracks and insulated from the wheels,

a broken circuit leading from the source of energy, in which circuit the electro-niagnet for connecting the second contact piece with the track, a switch located in said conductor, an automatic means [or holding the switch in a position norn'ially to close said conductor and a means actuated by an operator for throwing the switch to open the said conductor.

4. In combination with alocomotive engine Westinghouse air-brakes upon the engine, a valve located inthe train pipe the opening of which applies the brakes, an arm carried by the valve the movement of which opens and closes the valve, an electromagnet upon the engine, an armature pivoted upon the magnet, a lever. for holding the arm of the valve in its closed position, a means for connecting the lever and the armature whereby the movement of the armature toward the magnet releases the arm to open the valve, a contact piece carricd by the fender and insulated from the wheels of the engine, an electric battery carried by the engine, a broken circuit leading from the battery in Which the armature is included, one of the broken ends of said circuit being connected to the contact piece on the tender and the other end of the circuit being connected to a wheel of the engine, a contact strip mounted adjacent to the rails, a conductor connecting the strip with the rails, and a switch inter osed in the conductor for making and brea king the conductor.

JOHN J. h/IONAh/IEE.

Witnesses:

(J. P. MILLER, WALTER F. MURRAY. 

